Brent Harris

Brent Harris, Station VI (Veronica wipes the face of Christ), 1989, aquatint, black and brick red ink on ivory wove paper, 30.7 x 17.5 cm,
Image courtesy of the artist and Tolarno Galleries.

Bio

Brent Harris (b. 1956) is one of Australia’s foremost contemporary artists, widely recognised as both a painter and printmaker. Born in Te Papaioea Palmerston North, Aotearoa New Zealand, Harris moved to Melbourne in 1981 and began his studies at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) the subsequent year. Throughout much of his career, Harris has explored the psychoanalytically-charged space between abstraction and figuration. Consistent with this has been his fascination with the subconscious and dream states. Harris’ compositions at times pulse with libidinal energies, though the drives and memories they draw from are often disquieting. Harris’ exploration of this terrain is guided by his close study of artists and art history; as well as reflections on his personal and familial histories. At times this has extended to responses to current events which have had a distinct impact on Harris’ life and those around him, such as in 'The Stations' (1989) series. Through hard edge geometric abstract forms, this group of fourteen paintings and corresponding series of aquatints describes Harris’ reflection on the impacts of the HIV/AIDS crisis via the biblical narrative of Jesus Christ’s journey through judgement to death. Harris’ also draws particular inspiration from his dedicated studio practice, where he privileges chance, intuition and experimentation as sources for creative insight.

Across a career of nearly four decades, Harris’ art has been the subject of a number of major solo exhibitions including Just a Feeling: Brent Harris Selected works 1987–2005, Ian Potter Museum of Art, Melbourne, curated by Bala Starr; and Swamp Op, Art Gallery of Western Australia, curated by Robert Cook (both 2006). In 2012 a significant monographic exhibition opened at the NGV International, Naarm Melbourne, curated by Jane Devery (2012). Auckland Art Gallery Toi O Tamaki presented in 2023 Harris’ first major solo survey exhibition in Aotearoa New Zealand, The Other Side, also curated by Devery. Later that year, Harris’ first retrospective Surrender & Catch, curated by Maria Zagala, premiered at TarraWarra Museum of Art, Victoria, and in 2024 the exhibition toured in an expanded form to the Art Gallery of South Australia.